$3.1M In Funds Will Improve 3 Hoboken Parks, Expand Skating Area On Waterfront

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken has received $3.1 million in state and county grant funds for open space projects, including the new Maritime Park at the former Union Dry Dock area of the central waterfront, slated to begin construction in 2025, the city announced Wednesday.

Among other amenities, the funds will help expand the existing skateboard park as part of the Maritime Park.

The funds will also support upgrades to Church Square Park including a new toddler playground, and the expansion of the Southwest Resiliency Park, the city said.

See below for more from the city's press release:

City Announcement Of Park Funds

“I am extremely proud that we are moving forward with new parks and improvements to over 10 acres of open space in Hoboken,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. “This grant funding will provide important resources to help see these projects through to completion, including an expanded Southwest Resiliency Park to help combat rainfall flooding, as well as the buildout of Maritime Park at the former Union Dry Dock site. I greatly appreciate our partners at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and Hudson County for their support.” ‍

Doubling the size of the Southwest Resiliency Park and mitigating flooding

The City also received $1.4 million from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the expansion of the Southwest Resiliency Park, currently under construction at 58 Harrison St. Once finished, the park will provide recreational amenities including a basketball court, playground, and pickleball courts. The park will also mitigate rainfall flooding through above and below ground infrastructure which will more than double the existing parks capacity to detain over 460,000 gallons of stormwater.

For more information on the Southwest Resiliency Park expansion, go to www.hobokennj.gov/swparkphase2.

For construction updates on this and other City projects, go to www.hobokennj.gov/construction. ‍

Church Square Park playground upgrades‍

In July 2024, the City was awarded $500,000 from the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund, $750,000 from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Green Acres program, and $65,000 in New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA) Local Recreation Improvement Grant (LRIG) funding for improvements to Church Square Park. This new grant funding will be used in conjunction with $150,000 in NJDCA LRIG funding previously awarded to the City in 2021 and 2023 to construct the first phase of Church Square Park enhancement projects this Fall.

Church Square Park upgrades will include a new inclusive toddler playground in the southwest portion of the park, a new open lawn area in place of the old toddler playground, a landscaped buffer along the existing dog run, and the addition of new public restrooms. The improvements will be consistent with the park's historic character and were identified by the public during preparation of the Church Square Park Vision Plan. For more information on Church Square Park improvements, go to www.hobokennj.gov/resources/church-square-park-vision-plan.‍

New skate park at Maritime Park

Hudson County also awarded Hoboken $250,000 in 2024 Open Space Trust Funds to create a new enlarged skate park, improve the adjacent portion of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, construct new pedestrian plaza, and replace the existing bulkhead with a living shoreline as part of the first phase of Maritime Park, which is anticipated to begin construction Summer 2025.

When complete, Maritime Park will include expansive active and passive recreational spaces, a large flexible lawn, an expanded beach, a community hub building, new piers for increased shoreline access, and a play area featuring natural materials and structures.

For more information on Maritime Park, go to www.hobokennj.gov/maritimepark.